CH 12

Shen Tiantian smiled so much that the corners of her mouth almost reached her ears.

They had indeed progressed way too quickly, to the point that even with Shan Yi still by her side, she found herself questioning if it was all a dream, a dream that would fade away the moment she opened her eyes. 

But regardless if it was a dream or reality, she wanted to enjoy this moment.

As Shan Yi served the steaming hot noodles, the irresistible aroma made Shen Tiantian’s hunger intensify, causing her stomach to growl.

“Come try it,” Shan Yi said.

Shen Tiantian immediately put down her phone, jumped off the sofa barefoot, and leaned over to sniff it. After a light sigh, she said, “It smells so good.”

Half of the dish consisted of vegetables and meat, with the noodles completely covered underneath. Shen Tiantian used chopsticks to mix it evenly, and the combination of noodles, vegetables, and meat created an appetizing display of colors.

Although it was just noodles, Shan Yi managed to make it look gourmet.

Indeed, their attitudes towards life were different. If Shen Tiantian was hungry, she would just cook it and eat until she was full.

Shen Tiantian couldn’t wait any longer. She took a breath and tried a bite while it was still hot, unexpectedly widening her eyes and saying, “It’s delicious.”

The steak, meticulously diced into small granules, was cooked to approximately 80%, preserving its succulence and tenderness. Shen Tiantian marveled at Shan Yi’s skill in managing the heat. The vegetables, likely added last, provided a delightful crunchiness to the dish.

Shan Yi reluctantly accepted her girlfriend’s praise. Just a moment ago, Shen Tiantian had doubted whether she knew how to cook.

Savoring the soup, Shen Tiantian took a contented sip and glanced up at Shan Yi. In comparison to her elegance, Shen Tiantian felt like a starving ghost. Shan Yi also looked back at her.

She wiped her mouth and suddenly felt a little embarrassed. “It’s so delicious. I couldn’t resist.”

Despite having embarrassed herself in front of Shan Yi on numerous occasions, she couldn’t afford to let herself go on the very first day of their official relationship.

Shan Yi laughed and said. “It’s okay. You don’t have to hide yourself in front of me.”

‘So gentle!!!’

Shen Tiantian felt an overwhelming joy that made her feel as if she could soar in the sky, realizing that such a perfect person was actually her girlfriend.

She coughed lightly, unable to hide the smile on her face. She asked the question somewhat incredulously, “CEO … are we really together?”

Shan Yi raised her eyebrows and solemnly nodded with a serious face, and beckoned to her with a slight curl of her finger. 

Shen Tiantian obediently leaned in, and her lips were immediately kissed.

Shan Yi tenderly grasped the back of her head, intensifying the kiss, and before long, her mouth became flooded with the flavors of noodles and vegetables.

After a while, Shan Yi released her and asked. “Are you certain now?”

The kiss left Shen Tiantian in a dazed state, and with a blush on her face, she nodded in response.

“Good, hurry up and eat. The noodles are getting soggy.”

Shen Tiantian:…

‘Isn’t it because of a certain person who kisses at the slightest disagreement?’

Shan Yi didn’t feel the least bit embarrassed and smiled gently at her.

Shen Tiantian decided not to look at her anymore, or her heart might start racing irregularly.

How can someone be so beautiful?

Even in their silence, the air was saturated with the unmistakable scent of love. After quickly finishing her bowl of noodles, Shen Tiantian went to go watch TV.

After cleaning up the mess, Shan Yi came out and checked the time. She silently took a seat next to Shen Tiantian.

Shen Tiantian stole a glance at her and remarked. “Seems like it’s getting late.”

She was chasing her away. 

Shan Yi didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. She remained silent and quietly watched her.

Despite not making direct eye contact with Shan Yi, Shen Tiantian could clearly feel that penetrating gaze. It left her feeling slightly nervous, leaving her uncertain about what to say next. 

After hesitating for a while, she laughed and said, “Do you want to watch TV together?”

Shan Yi slowly moved closer to her, startling Shen Tiantian. She instinctively moved, but the armrest of the sofa prevented her from retreating further. Shan Yi’s face was almost touching hers, and her deep voice echoed in her ear, “I don’t want to leave.”

Shen Tiantian widened her eyes. “T-That’s way too fast.”

“Pfft …”

Shan Yi burst out laughing, resting her face in the crook of Shen Tiantian’s shoulder. Her body trembled slightly from laughing. After a while, she calmed down and raised her head, looking at Shen Tiantian. “You’re so cute.”

Shen Tiantian’s face turned bright red in an instant. She glared at Shan Yi with a mix of annoyance and embarrassment. The CEO always enjoyed teasing her.

Shan Yi kissed her lips and reluctantly parted from her, picking up the bag that was placed nearby and stood up. She said, “I won’t tease you anymore.”

Now that Shan Yi was really about to leave, Shen Tiantian couldn’t bear to part with her, but she didn’t have the courage to ask her to stay. 

It was going too fast, and she needed some time to process.

She accompanied Shan Yi to the elevator, and at that moment, Shan Yi requested a goodbye kiss. Despite feeling shy, Shen Tiantian mustered the courage to rise up on her tiptoes and gently planted a kiss on Shan Yi’s lips.

“Be careful on the road.”

“See you tomorrow.”

Shen Tiantian’s cheeks still held a tinge of red as she nodded and softly said. “See you tomorrow.”

Even after Shan Yi had left, the room retained a faint scent of perfume. Shen Tiantian hugged a pillow and finally had the chance to open WeChat.

Liu Wanjun and Kang Jiaya had exchanged over seventy messages already, but Shen Tiantian was too lazy to go through the entire chat history. Instead, she decided to send an emoji in the group chat to indicate her presence.

Kang Jiaya: Not keeping your CEO company?

Shen Tiantian: She already went back.

Kang Jiaya: … She’s not going to sleep with you?

Shen Tiantian: …

Liu Wanjun: Hahaha, I’m afraid she’s not charming enough.

Shen Tiantian was at a loss for words and felt like crying. Why did she have to come in and listen to their insults?!

Shen Tiantian: I’m going to take a shower~

Kang Jiaya: Shower and make yourself smell nice when you meet the CEO tomorrow.

“Pfft …”

If she were drinking water, she might have choked.

Yaya’s way of speaking is as … infuriating as always.

Shen Tiantian didn’t reply and went to take a shower.

When she came out, half an hour had already passed. She used the blow dryer to partially dry her hair and then sat cross-legged on the bed with her phone.

She opened WeChat and saw a message from Shan Yi sent seven minutes ago.

— I’m home.

Shen Tiantian: Okay.

— Go take a shower and rest early.

Shen Tiantian: Okay, good night.

— Good night.

Shen Tiantian looked at the screen and smiled, as if Shan Yi was right in front of her.

The next morning, as soon as Shen Tiantian entered the company, she accidentally bumped into Tian Jing.

Tian Jing appeared to genuinely believe that Shen Tiantian and Shan Yi were not dating. There was no trace of curiosity in her eyes, and she continued to assign tasks to Shen Tiantian as usual.

Shen Tiantian breathed a sigh of relief but still felt a little guilty.

Before Manager Tian had asked her, she and the CEO hadn’t officially started dating, so it wasn’t considered as a deception, right? Shen Tiantian tried to console herself with this thought.

Tian Jing came back from outside, she passed by Shen Tiantian, and whispered, “You, come with me.”

Shen Tiantian glanced around and silently followed Tian Jing into the office. A few gossiping colleagues huddled together, whispering and discussing.

Both of them were unaware of the situation outside, Shen Tiantian tightly interlocked her fingers and asked. “What’s the matter, Manager Tian?”

“I know you are dating the CEO.” Tian Jing went straight to the point.

Shen Tiantian pursed her lips, not feeling panicked by Tian Jing’s words. Given their intimate behavior back then, it would be strange if Tian Jing hadn’t noticed. So, she calmly waited for Tian Jing to continue.

“But this is your private matter. As long as it doesn’t affect your work, you can do whatever you want.” Tian Jing said, looking at her. “Rest assured, I won’t say anything.”

Shen Tiantian nodded.

She had forgotten to inform Shan Yi that they should keep their relationship private for now.

If her relationship with the CEO became known in the office, she might not be able to stay there any longer. It wasn’t that their relationship was something to be ashamed of, but the office environment was prone to gossip and rumors. Being discovered could undoubtedly impact their work and create unnecessary complications. Shen Tiantian wanted to avoid such a situation at all costs.

Of course, Tian Jing felt the same way.

The conversation was brief, but the two of them quickly came to an understanding.

When Shen Tiantian went out of Tian Jing’s office, Lu Xiaochun approached her and said, “There’s a group of nosy women gossiping about you and Manager Tian again.”

“What’s going on between me and Manager Tian?” Shen Tiantian asked nonchalantly.

“They’re saying you two are dating. That’s going too far!”

Shen Tiantian had no idea how bored these people were. She deliberately emphasized her response to Lu Xiaochun, speaking in a loud enough voice for everyone nearby to hear, “Don’t talk nonsense. There’s nothing going on.”

She didn’t want trouble, but trouble seemed to have a way of finding her.

Shen Tiantian sighed, thinking that her mood would probably improve if she received a message from the CEO right now.

As if sensing her thoughts, her phone suddenly lit up with a “ding” sound.

You have received a message from your dear CEO.

Shen Tiantian chuckled, thinking, ‘What kind of fairy-tale couple is this?! The timing of the message was too perfect.’